Conveyer.



w. K. LIGG'BTT.

OONVEYEB..

APPLIOATION rI'LBn un. so, 190s.

Patented oct. 27, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'Hnventor attorney A W. K. LIGGETT.

GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. so, 190s.

Pate'ntedfOct. 27, 1908.

' A 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

l Y M "Q4 I W. K. LIGGETT.

yCONVEYER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30,1906.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

UNITED sTArrusrATENT. OFFICE.; l j

WILLIAM K.

LIGGETAT, .OF COLUMBUS, -OH-IQ, ASSIGNOR, BY MENE ASSIGNMENTS,l TO THE 'JEFFREY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. p

' ooNvEYER.

To all uiliomfit may concern:

B e it known that I, WILLIAM K. LIGGETT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at' Columbus, in the county of F ranklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyers, of which ism, a car bei-ng shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the conveyer proper in side elevation, -the framework and other partsbeing shown in vertical transverse section and the car being shown in longitudinal section, the conveyer being extended toward` the left. Fig. 4 is a perspective showing conventionally the manner of supporting -and guiding a conveyer belt or apron. lFig. 5 is a cross section of the Abelts constituting an apron and showing the. roller or rollers which support them-in side view. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the shafting and gearing for moving vertically the inner ends of the truss systems or lazy tongs systems. y y' l Y In the drawings, A indicates a car 'track `and B a car or vehicle thereon. By the side of the track there is constructed a support or platform i' C of suitable character. Above this there is a vertically adjustable frame 0r platform for directly supporting the movable structure which carries theconveying apparatus and which is made vertically ad justable in order to have it adapted for use with cars having floors lat different elevations from the track.

The framework of the portable structure comprises a base part or`horizontally disposed part and a vertical or upwardly eX- tended part.' -The former has longitudinal beams -1, 1, and cross bars or girts la, 1b, 1". The upwardly extending part ofthe /frame comprises standards 2, 3, the connecting bars or plates 3a joining these, the inclined bars or braces 67, and the forwardly projectingv frame bars 67 a at the top and 67 b at the bottom. Uponthis framework are supported Specification of'Letters Patent.-

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Application vled January 30, 1906. Serial No. 298,658,

two systems'v of truss bars or levers, those of each lsystem being arranged and connected together on the plan of alazy tongs. Upon each side of the conveyer there is a series of lever Ibars 4, 6, 810A arranged parall'eltoA each other, and also a series of bars 5, 7, i9,

'and 11, parallel to each other, rbut inclined 'toand crossing the bars 4, 6, 8, 10 respectively. `One of the' inner bars 4 is pivoted to one of the uprights or standards at 12. lts companion bar 5 is pivoted to a vertically adjustable nut 13. The latter is fitted iIi a way ina guidel 14 which permits 'it to slide vertically.

' Outer bars 11 of the truss system support the extreme roller 1.5 for the belt. At each of the top joints ofthe lazy tongs bars there is a belt roller 16 carried by a crank bar or arm 16a secured to the hinge devicesin such way that they shall maintain a substantially constant angle relative to vertical planes, the belt 17 in consequence being4 supported thereon uniformly irrespective ofthe position of the lazy tongs or truss rods.

A sin le belt may be. used,` or a series of narrow elts can be used, and so supported and related to each other asto giveV a 'wide` supporting and transporting device for the material placed upon them.

In the drawings three belts are shown, 17a,

17", 17 C. TheI two eXtreme rollers 15, 15 are formed in three sections, as at 15, 15b, 15.

These sections gradually increase in diam.- cter and may be tapered somewhat. The belt at 17 b overlaps that at 17a and the one at 17 c overlaps that indicated by 17h.. These belts all pass around the same driving pulley 20, they overlappin each other thereon. For the right hand si e of themechanism there are three vertical rollers 19a, 19D, 19, one for guiding each of the aforesaid-belts; and for the other side ofthe mechanism there are three similar vertical rollers.

These are mounted in supporting pieces 75 and are so arranged with relation to the driving pulley 20 as to cause the superposing of the belts one upon the other, as above described. And to compel them to hug and mounted in a frame or-housing having the upper and lower parts .26'Jwhichgfurnish 1 bearings for the vertical shaft 29,'carr'ying at 'its' lower 4end the bevel wheel 28 with 'whicl'r meshes the pinion 27 on 'the main shaft 22, the latter having@ a featherway or u I. slotA 32 `which permits the'bevel gearing 27 to move from one position toanother along the shaft without losing itsv driving connection. 30'is the bearing sleeve which supports the bevel 27 and surrounds the shaft The drive pulley 20 and its carryingframe are Supported by-brackets or lugs 26*l which are fitted to b ars or'plates-26b on the `main frameand which can move more orless 1n relation to thatframe so as to permit thetaking up of the slack and the-regulation of the tension .of the belts.. The tension is regulated and maintained by means of av weight 33 adapted to move down or up in a well 34, this weight being sustained by a cable 35 .which is secured to the rear end of the frame 26 of -thedriv'e pulley 20 and is fitted to and bears against the idler -sheaves or pulleys 36, 38, and 39 mounted station-7- arilyon the platfommthe cable also passing around the pulley "37 secured to the weight andhaving its end fastened at 40 to the rear" axle of the truck w'heels. The truck wheels are indicated by 41 at-'therear and 42 at the front.l The portable structure is all Vsupported upon these wheels, which in turn rest upon the/rails or lbars 43 of the platform above referred to.

44, 45 are gear wheels provided with a hand ,crankydevice 46 by which they can be rotated, and the gear 44 being secured to the front axle of the truck the whole mechanism can be moved longitudinally' as desired.

At 47 there is a ack screw which supports thefront end of 't e adjustable platform or frame section 43, A the rear end being supported in such way as to permit the front y end to be raised or lowered.

'The sliding nut blocks 13,- 13 hereinbefore referred .to aremoved in vertical directions by means of the screw. shafts 50, 51." For each set -or systemof lazy' tongs there are two of these nuts and shafts, one at each side of the belt. The shafts are simultaneously rotated by means of a cross-shaft.-5

whichv is provided at each end with a bevel pinion 53 that meshes with a bevel wheel 54- secured to one of the vertical screw'shafts.

Power` is imparted at will to either of` the" shafts 52 from 'a countershaft 62 which lies under and transversely to the main power shaft 22. The power shaft 22 drives the countershaft through the spiral gearing'60, 61. On theI ends of the countershaft 62 there are friction pinionsl 63. At the center of each of the shafts 52 there is a sleeve 55 provided'with. two friction wheels 55l 551V and with a groove 57. for a shifting device. Each sleeve is feathered to its shaft 52 so the pinion63.'l A fting" lever 'connected. tol the' l. sleeve'55 and also connected to the hand eachI of the truss systems. .carr'whenever desired cause. one of the sets ',of sliding nuts 13 to move downward and canfbe moved* in one direction 'or the "other soas to bring one or the other o f the wheels 55a or 55b into frictionalcontact with 58 sa shi lever 5,9 by' thefro'd 58a. 'There is one of these 'trains ofI sleeve shifting devices for The operator this in'vturn will cause the drawing in or contracting ofthe tr-uss system on that side which is controlled by said nuts, and he can simultaneously or at .a time theretofore or shafts/fand" cause their sliding nuts 13 `to 'thereafter bring into action the other screw move upward which will in turnv colnpel- I thela'zy tongs system or truss bars with .which they are connected to elongate.

The material to -be loaded is fed through a spout '74 upon a vibrating feeder 65. The latter' is provided with an inclined end board 66, a bottom 68 and side walls 7 7 Its inner 4 end is o en and extends over the conveyer belt. T is feeder is mounted uponthe ele- `vated frame 67, 67a, being supported by wheels 69, which run upon. the horizontally- 'arranged bars 67a. The table is lreciprocated through gearing 'connected with the main power shaft 22. The end of the latter which is the most distant from the motor is upon a verticallyfdisposed shaft 72 mounted in suitable bearings. At the upper end of this shaft there is-a crank 71 which is con- ,nected, by the link 70, with a pin 78 extendprovided with a bevel pinion 76 that meshes "with and drives a bevel wheel .73 supported ing downward from the bottom of the reciprocating feeder. The edge of the upper connecting bar or plate 3a that is opposite the o en end of the reciprocating feeder is carried upward, as indicated in' Figs. 2 and 3,

in order to prevent the material being fed through the'hand mechanism 44, 45, 46, etc.,

moved Aoutward so as to extend into the car, as indicated in Fig. 2. rlhe vmotor being` started drives the main pulley 20, around which the belts pass, and thus drivesthe belt conveyer. By means of the shifting mechanism controlled by the hand lever `59, the conveyer is extended in one direction or the other as desired, so that the parts assume a Cfr ' eea/ier fraineis gradually retracted until finally it assumes the v .position indicated at the righthand side of-FigJ. When. one e'nd of the car; has been -lled the eonveyer truss frame on the other side is extended and the oppositeend ofthe car is filled, as may be understood "Without further detailed explanation.

vIt will be understood that the counterbalancing Weight 33 operates 'both 'to take up the slack and maintain -tension upon-y theib'elt or belts at all times, Whatever be the positions to'Whioh "the truss frames may be adjusted, and insures the belts being held under tension When the loader is not in use and'is moved back out of* thel oar and over the platform C. y

51. In a conveying apparatus, the combicarrying beltsv or aprons on the said rollers -or pulleys arranged to-have the material.-

" vt-arrying portions 'thereof situated -side by side and With the ledge of each belt nearest one side of said frame overlappingthe adj acent edge of the adjoining belt', substantially 2. In a conveying apparatus the combination of .a "frame, suitablerollers or pulleys, and' a pluralit of relatively movable carrying aprons or elts'on said pulleys or rollers, and arranged l`to have said carrying belts situated side side land their -driving parts 'ove'e'r'lapping one `upon another, in

` series upon'a common driving pulley substantially as set forth.

3. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of a"frame, suitable supporting rollers or `pulleys turned on horizontally ydisposed aires, va driving pulley or roller turning on 'an airis that is not horizontal, a 'carrying belt'supported upon the horizontally disposedfl'rollers or pulleys and passing around 'the driving pulley, and guides =between the driving pulley vfand the said horizontalrollers or pulleys, substantially as setA forth,

, et. In a convey1ngapparat`us, the combination of a -frame, anendless conveying belt or apron, an eXtensibleframe for the latter, rollers mounted 'in the said eXtensible frame turnedon horizontal axes and arranged to Asupport the conveying portion of the belt,

a driving pulley yin the supporting frame turning on an axis that -is not horizontal and about Which'pulley the carrying belt passes, and guides for the belt between the driving .pulley and the said horizontal rollers, substantially as set forth.

5. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of a frame, suitable rollers o r pulleys turning oii'liorizontal axes, a driving roller or pulley turning on an aXis that is not horizont-al, a plurality of carrying belts or Yaprons overlapping upon the said driving roller or pulley and lying side by 'side on the 'horizontal pulleys, and guides 4between the driving lpulley and the said horizontal rollers or pulleys, substantially asset forth.

6, In a conveying apparatus, the combi-V nation. of a frame, suitable horizontal beltsupporting pulleys or rollers, a driving pulley or roller, a. plurality of carrying belts or aprons having their carryingportions arso ranged side by side, and'havingtheir driving portions arranged to overlie one upon another, and a series of approximately vertical guide pulleys or rollers, each engaging byone of the said belts or aprons'and interposed between the.- driving pulley and the said horizontal pulley .or rollers, substantially as set forth.

7 In a conveying apparatus, the combination of a frame, the pulleys or rollers, having a progressive 'series of sections of differentpdiameters, and a plurality of relatively movable belts or aprons having their carrying portions side by side and each'it ted to one of the said sections on each of the rail rollers or pulleys, substantially as set forth.

8. In aconveying apparatus, the combination of a frame, a belt guide system hav inglat one end a vpulley or belt support formed in parts of progressively varying diametershand having at the other end of the system a belt support formed in sections of progressiyely varying diameters, and more than tivo relatively movable endless carriers or aprons each rarranged side by side to travel around one of-the parts on each of the said belt supports, and said belts having overlapping edges, substantially as set forth.

9. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of a frame, a plurality of carrying belts, supporting rollers for the belts arranged to .turn upon approximately horizony tal aXes, a driving pulley for the belts mounted tofturn upon an approximately V /vertical axis, and means for maintaining the belts side by side While supported upon the horizontal rollers and-for maintaining them overlying one on the othervvvhile passing around the driving pulley, substantially as i set forth.

l0. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of a main frame, an endless carrier/ or belt, an extensible frame for the carrier or belt, a driving device on the -inain frame forthe belt, and -means for moving the beltdriving device to cause it to maintain utension. upon the belt and the engagement thereof with the driving device, substantially as set forth.

1l. In a conveyingapparatus, the combi- .'nation of a main frame, an endless carrier or belt, alongitudinal-ly -extensibleframe for the carrier or belt, means for. extending and contractingtlie carrier frame, a'drivingv device .for thebeltjor carrier, mounted-'on the main frame,v and' bodily movable relative A"to, the ,extensible carrier frame, and an automatic tension device for .bodily-moving Vthe carrier driving dvice to maintain tension upon ther belt ,an the engagement thereof with the driving device under the different positions tolwhich the extensible frame may be adjusted, substantiallyas set forth.

v12. ,In a conveying apparatus, the combination ofa lmain frame, a power shaft mounted in the main frame longitudinally thereof, an endless carrying belt, an extensible frame in`which the lbelt is supported, a driving device for the lbelt connected with the power shaft and movable lengthwise thereof and relative to thesaid extensible'-frame, and 'an automatic tension device connected with the driving device and arranged ltomove it along the power shaft to maintain the proper tension upon the belt as the extensible frame is adjusted, substantially as setforth.

13. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of a stationary frame, a main supportino Iframe longitudinally adjustable upon tie supporting frame, a laterally extensible frame carried by the" said main frame, an endless belt mounted inthe saidextensible frame, means for 'driving the belt mounted in the main frame, and a tension device for thebelt supported by thesaid stationary frame, substantially as set forth.

14. In a conveyingapparatus, the combination of a main frame, an endless carrier or belt, an ex-teiisible frame therefor mounted in the main frame, means for adjusting the said extensible frame to cause it to project more or less' from the main frame, a power' shaft mounted in the main frame, a driving pulley aroundrfiyliich the belt or 4carrier passes, a' movablerfra'ine Vin whichY the driving pulley is mounted, gearing between the driving pulley and the power shaft, the said gearing and Vthe frame for the driving pulley being together `movable lengthwise of the power shaft, a weight, and a flexible connection between the, weight and the frame of the driving pulley arranged to cause the weight to niove theA driving pulley and maintain proper tension upon the carrier or belt, substantially as set forth.

15. In a conveying apparatus, the combil nation of a stationary support, a longitudinally movable mainframe on the said sup-` port, a carrier belt frame carried by the main f frame and laterally extensible relative thereto, means for extending and contracting the said carrier belt frame, an endless belt mounted inthe said extensibleframe, a driving pulley about which the Icarrier belt passes `mounted in the main-frame, and tension devices mounted on'a'sta'tionary support ain ranged to maintain the carrier belt under proper tension as the main frame is 'longij tudinally adjusted upon its` stationary support and also as Vthe extensible frame is, adjusted relative to the mainframe, sub-A stantiallyas set forth. .i

16. In a conveying apparatus, the combination `of a stationary support, having the rails or bars 43,,a'man"framewlongitudinally adjustable uponj the said` ,rails or bars, a transversely arranged extensible belt frame carried by the main frame, means for" extending and contracting the extensible frame, a belt or endlessecarrier mounted in' 20 for the belt, a longitudinalpower shaft 22, gearing between the power shaft and the belt pulley .20, a frame 26 in which the belt pulley .is mounted, said frame 26 andthev gearing being together'movable lengthwise ofthe power shaft 22, a vertically' movable weight 33, a' rope 35 connected at. one end with the frame 26 and at the other end to some portion of the movable frame,and

.the said extensible fra-me, a driving pulley.

pulleys for guiding the rope and supporting the weight`33 "therefrom, substantially as set forth.

17. In a conveying apparatus., the combination of a longitudinally movable main frame, a pair of extensible belt-carrying..

iframes' supported by the main frame, each comprising a lazy tong system of bars, each system .being arranged to be lengthened or shortened independently of the other, an endless belt supported in the said extensible respectively and at will, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I aiHx my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM n. LieGnTfr.

Witnesses: WF, R. WiLLsoN, Jr.,

Jos. WEBSTER. 

